An ear, nose and throat doctor explains some likely causes of a bad smell after blowing your schnoz.
Blowing your nose is not supposed to result in a bad or foul smell, so when it does, what can this mean?
“Bad odor after blowing the nose is usually caused by old mucous in the sinuses or a sinus infection,” explains Dr. Stacey Silvers, MD, of Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in NYC, who is board certified in otolaryngology.
Another Cause of a Bad Smell from Blowing
“Occasionally acid from the stomach has been seen in the back of the nose,” says Dr. Silvers.
“This alone can cause a bad odor from the nose, but can also lead to higher incidences of sinus infections.”
Stomach acid can reach the back of the nose through a process known as laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), which is a type of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that affects the throat and voice box.
In LPR, the acid can travel upward and high enough, irritating the lining of the throat, vocal cords and sometimes even reaching the nasal passages.
Additionally, acid reflux can stimulate the production of mucous as a protective response.
This increased mucus can drip down the back of the throat and into the nasal passages, exacerbating the sensation of acid in the nose — and possibly causing a stink when you blow your nose.
In fact, if you catch a nasty smell after you blow your nose, and also feel a burning inside your nose, there’s a good chance you have LPR.
Chronic and Acute Sinus Infections
There are two kinds of sinus infections: acute and chronic.
Dr. Silvers says that a chronic sinus infection does not come with congestion or fever, but may “present with fatigue, pressure over the cheeks and forehead, and a bad odor in the nose after blowing.”
The chronic sinus infection often also comes with headaches, and if you just happen to have one of these headaches while you blow your nose, don’t be surprised if the headache intensifies while you blow.
Any kind of straining, including for bowel movements, can make a sinus headache feel worse.
If a sinus problem is causing the bad smell after blowing your nose, Dr. Silvers says that a neti pot with a sinus rinse can be very helpful.
“If it is not, then see your doctor or your ENT for a nasal/sinus exam and a culture.”
An NYC expert in ear, nose and throat care, Dr. Silvers has been named among America’s Top Physicians and Surgeons in facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology numerous times since 2003.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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